


The Muggle-born Conspiracy

by Kill_Streak



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Conspiracy, Fantasy, Gen, Muggle-born, Secret Organizations, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-24 21:07:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30078336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kill_Streak/pseuds/Kill_Streak
Summary: Alexander Grey is a muggle-born wizard in hiding. He finds himself fighting against Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts. Due to circumstances beyond his understanding, he woke up in the past, on the day he got his Hogwarts invitation. He vowed to make the most out of the second chance he was given, for himself and the others like him.Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. All recognizable characters, places, plots, etc. are the property of J.K. Rowling.If you like my work, please support me at www.pa treon.com/Kill_Streak.This fic is also being posted at web novel.com and fan fiction.net under my accounts.





	1. Battle of Hogwarts

01 - The Battle Of Hogwarts

Alexander Grey was not the same person he had been ten years ago. If you met the younger Alexander, you would see a young man who had hopes and dreams, filled with potential. Now, if you asked him what his plans for the week were, he wouldn't know what to tell you. After all, plans and expectations were luxuries to him. A man on the run, with no place to return to and no place to be, couldn't afford such things.

With a loud clap like sound, he arrived in front of a lone cottage by the beach via Apparition. He walked toward the house after carefully looking around his surroundings, making sure no one had seen him.

He checked himself over before knocking on the door. He appeared to be a little rugged, but that was to be expected after living in the wilderness for months.

A tall red-headed man opened the door. Alex recognized him immediately. However, the prominent scars on the man's face surprised him.

"Alex, it's been a long time, hasn't it?" said Bill Weasley, Alex's old friend from school.

Alex and Bill were sorted in different houses in Hogwarts, but they had become friends because they both played Quidditch.

"Sure has. What happened to your face?"

"Werewolf," replied Bill with a sigh.

"Wh—Did you?" asked Alex concerned.

"Yeah, unfortunately. But, we're managing."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Alex. He didn't know what else to say.

Lycanthropy was an incurable curse. Turning into a werewolf every night there was a full moon was something Bill has to live with for the rest of his life.

They were silent for a moment. A werewolf and a destitute muggle-born. There was a time when they believed in their prospects. After all, they both graduated from Hogwarts with top marks.  
"Well, at least you don't look so girly any more," said Alex trying to lighten up the mood.

Bill snorted at that, making a small grin. They entered the house and settled down in the living room.

Alex looked around the house since it was his first time visiting. It seemed that Bill was set up to live a quiet and peaceful life.

"So, what made you decide to visit?" asked Bill as they sat down. "Not that I don't welcome it but it has been a very long time."

"I need your help, Bill," Alex confessed. "I heard that you're working for Gringotts. I don't know in what capacity. But is it possible that you have a way for me to leave the country unseen?"

He felt quite ashamed showing up rather abruptly to ask for a favour like that but he was grasping at straws.

"I might have something, although it's risky," said Bill. "Have you tried the muggle way?"

"I can't, somehow the Snatchers managed to put me on a watch list in the non-magical government. I'm a wanted man anywhere in this country, Bill."

"I may have something." He leaned in closer to Alex and lowered his voice. "I know a couple of illegal Portkey makers that can take you to the continent. But like I said, it can be risky. No doubt the Dark Lord's men already know about them."

Before he could answer, they heard a woman's voice from the kitchen.

"Does our guest intend to stay for dinner?"

There stood a petite blond woman who had just finished cooking judging from her attire.

"Oh! Um, this is my wife, Fleur." Said Bill flustered. He stood up and put his arm around the woman. "And this, love, is my old friend from Hogwarts, Alexander Grey."

"Nice to meet you, Mrs Weasley. Call me Alex," greeted Alex. It was his first time hearing that his friend was married and to a very beautiful young woman, it seemed.

"Call me Fleur, please," she said. "Mrs Weasley is my mother-in-law."

Bill and Fleur laugh. If there was a joke there, Alex didn't know it.

"So, will you be staying with us for dinner then, Alex?" asked Fleur.

"I'm happy to. I can't possibly turn down a dinner invitation from a beautiful lady such as yourself. You have to tell me how Bill here managed to catch someone like you," joked Alex.

***

They were enjoying some wine after dinner. Fleur was happy to tell Alex how she and her husband met while working at Gringotts and how awkward Bill was at their first meeting. And Alex was glad to recount their days from their Hogwarts days to Fleur, telling her some of the funniest times they had there. Bill was glad that his old friend and his wife were getting along, although he could do without them sharing all his embarrassing moments.

All of a sudden, a wolf Patronus came into the room and jumped around the table, making them all stop talking. Bill, apparently, was its intended target. The expression on his face changed from being glad to worry as he appeared to be receiving some grave news from the apparition. Alex didn't know that a Patronus could be used to convey messages but decided not to ask about it at that time.

"I have to go to Hogwarts," said Bill sternly after the Patronus had done its job.

"What is it? I'll go with you," declared Fleur. She was visibly panicked.

"No, my love," said Bill, holding her hand. "I need you to stay here. I promise I will return."

They argued for a while, but Bill was adamant that he would not take Fleur with him. It took quite a lot of convincing, but she ultimately relented.

"What's this about, Bill?" asked Alex, finally finding the moment to interject.

"I supposed I can tell you," said Bill, choosing to trust in his old friend. "Harry Potter has been spotted in Hogsmeade. My brother must be with him. And if they showed up in Hogsmeade, they must be heading to Hogwarts," Bill said heavily.

Alex had long suspected Bill was involved in the resistance, he just didn't know up to what extent. He understood that if Harry Potter was in Hogwarts, the Dark Lord and his army would surely follow soon.

"You aim to fight them?" he asked alarmed.

"Yes," said Bill, determined.

Fight the Dark Lord and the Death Easters? Was his friend crazy? Alex didn't understand it. Why fight when they could leave the country? However, something in him had moved.

Maybe. . . maybe it was what he has to do. Why not?

No. . . That was not it. We are obligated to. We must fight. So be it, he thought.

"I'll join you then," he said simply.

"You sure?"

"What else could I do at this point? I might as well fight. Besides you can use an extra wand."

"All right, but we'll have to go through Hogsmeade. Have your wand at the ready," said Bill. He knew they wouldn't be able to avoid fighting, and Alex was a good man to have in a fight.

They arrived by Apparition outside a tavern in Hogsmeade. When they came in, they saw that several people were already there. Among them, he recognized Mr and Mrs Weasley. Bill introduced him briefly to the others and vouched for him.

From there, they reached Hogwarts via a tunnel hidden behind a portrait. After reaching the other side, they were received by Bill's brother, Ron, and Hermione Granger, a muggle-born witch.

Alex couldn't help but observe Hermione. The desperation in her eyes was all too familiar.

The Weasleys and the others were all fighting for what was right and good. While they may have been on the losing end of the war, they retained their pride and dignity. Alex only had respect for such good people.  
Hermione, just like him, was fighting for her survival and freedom.

They reached the Great Hall where they found Harry Potter standing defiantly in the middle of the crowd, accusingly yelling at Prof. Snape. When things got too heated, Prof. McGonagall stepped in to protect the young wizard. The two professors had their wands pointing at one another.

Spells were fired and Alex was already holding his wand, ready to assist should the need arise. But, he didn't need to act, it seemed. Prof. Snape was only defending himself and not firing back. Then, he deflected an incoming spell which ended up hitting the two Death Eaters behind him, knocking them out, before escaping through the main window.

Alex's eyes widened after noticing that Prof. Snape had picked up the wands of the fallen Death Eaters before escaping.

Why did he do it? Alex wondered.

As the room went off in a thunderous cheer, he realized that the matter with Prof. Snape couldn't be that simple. Just by his manner of escape, Prof. Snape demonstrated his mastery of the duelling arts. If the man was capable enough to deflect the incoming spells, he was capable enough to fire back. Alex knew that the Professor was a competent wizard from his years in Hogwarts.

Then, the room got darker. Some of the younger students started screaming in complete terror. A hoarse voice was whispering directly inside the head of everyone in the room.

It was the Dark Lord, himself, that was speaking to them. He offered that he would leave Hogwarts untouched only if they would surrender Harry Potter to him.

Alex, however, did not buy any of it. The Dark Lord, in his sick perversion, was playing on their fears. Hogwarts was too important to be left alone.

A Slytherin girl yelled out for everyone to grab Potter. He was quickly surrounded by the students who supported him. For a moment, it looked like the students would resort to fighting. However, Prof.McGonagall asked the caretaker to escort all the Slytherin students to their dorms.

Potter and the professor exchanged some words and he made it clear that he needed time to accomplish something important in Hogwarts.

Alex couldn't believe how these people could entrust their fate to the young wizard. However, Bill made it clear to him how important the Potter boy was in the fight against the Dark Lord. So, he decided to just go along with the friend he trusted. He was fully expecting to risk it all anyway in the coming battle.

His only regret was not having the time and the method to call for more help. Surely there were other muggle-borns out there who would rather die fighting than to live long in fear and indignity.

While the others were all busy preparing the defences of the castle, Alex was just leaning against the wall contemplating what was about to happen. He was surprised by all the anger building inside of him. Perhaps the incoming battle had made him realize some of the deep emotions he was too afraid to admit. He silently thought about the things that led him there.

***

When he lost his parents as a child, he was taken in by his paternal grandfather. He knew others were less fortunate than him, but he couldn't help but think how much his early childhood affected his outlook on life.

His grandfather was a stern man who lived a simple life. He was provided with the necessities but not much else. Even as a young boy, Alex knew he had to live by his grandfather's rules. After everything was said, Alex was still thankful.

He was very excited when he received his Hogwarts letter. Surprisingly, his grandfather was not averse to magic. Alex dreamed about the adventurous life that he would have with magic. Independence, freedom, excitement—he could have it all.

His time in Hogwarts was certainly not boring. He was among the top students of his year and a member of the Quidditch team. He made some good friends and some terrible enemies.

However, it didn't matter how well he performed in Hogwarts. He could not find any decent jobs even with his qualifications. There wasn't even anyone willing to offer him an apprenticeship. Unless he was accepted doing some less than legal work, he couldn't make a good livelihood. All of this was because of his blood status as a muggle-born or mud-blood as the less civilized would call him.

At first, he did not think too much about it. He thought that he'd win them over with his skills and work ethics. However, even when he was fortunate enough to land a legitimate job, his place of employment would get pressured to let him go. One of his employers even showed him an anonymous letter they received demanding that they shouldn't hire Mud-bloods

Eventually, he wound up doing some jobs on the criminal side of things. He stole small trinkets that he could sell for some quick money. He couldn't steal something truly valuable, however. After all, he was stealing from other witches and wizards. He stole just enough for him to get by.

That was when he fell out of contact with the few friends he had. He was too ashamed to let them see what he had become. In the eyes of the law-abiding citizens, it was better to be destitute than to be a scoundrel. But, it was hard to stick to your principles when you were hungry.

When the Muggle-born Registration Commission was enacted, the same people that he had worked with were the ones who betrayed him first. At the way things were going, being a known thief was better than associating with muggle-borns.

He heard of the trials presided by the detestable Dolores Umbridge on the WWN. muggle-borns were being legally stripped of their status as Witches and Wizards and their wands were being confiscated. Resisting will lead to a term in Azkaban or death.

He decided to run rather than submit himself to such a trial. At first, he found safety by staying out of the magical world. But, that ended when two policemen showed up in his apartment. He was a suspect in several gruesome murders which, he knew, were committed by Death Eaters. So, he's been living in the wilderness ever since.

***

They prepared what they could in the short time that they had. The adults in Hogwarts seemed to have resolved to protect the students with everything they had. Of course, no one could say no to some older students who volunteered to fight. At least, the younger ones are hidden deep in the castle.

With Prof. Flitwick’s leadership, every capable wizard helped in the creation of a great protective barrier that would surround the whole castle.

When the battle began, Alex watched in amazement when the first volley of attacks rained down on Hogwarts. There must have been over a hundred wizards that laid siege to the ancient castle.

The protective ward was holding. For a small moment, they allowed themselves to hope.

That was until Voldemort, himself, fired an overwhelmingly powerful spell. The barrier broke apart like a fading illusion. Some of the defenders of Hogwarts couldn't help but shriek at the sight.

Alex wondered how could a single wizard be capable of such a magical feat. Such raw power. It was no mystery how an entire country had learned to fear Voldemort.

With the way opened, the enemies rushed toward the castle shouting. There were Giants, Werewolves, and Acromantulas among them. It seemed like a scene from their worst nightmare had come alive.

As the Giants were ploughing the stone men-at-arms of Hogwarts, the wizards who could fly had done so to cross the ravine. Being one of the defenders who were adept at flying, Alex had gotten on his broom and taken flight as a part of an impromptu flying formation made up of former and current Hogwarts Quidditch players.

The battle raged on as Alex and his squad rained spell fire on the enemies while avoiding incoming spells as one would avoid a Bludger. The other flying wizards recognized his skill on the broom and naturally began to follow his lead. This way, they were able to counter the onslaught of the airborne assault of the enemies.

However, the battle on the ground was a different matter. The defenders were just too outnumbered. Furthermore, they were composed mostly of older Hogwarts students, while the enemies were more experienced and merciless fighters.

It took several spells before they could take down a Giant, while the Werewolves use their superior speed to flank their defences. Some Dementors had even joined the chaos. Fortunately, they were repelled quite easily by a powerful omnidirectional Patronus charm.

After just an hour of fighting, the castle was already unrecognisable from how it was that morning. Even the stone of the castle was aflame. The courtyard was where the battle was heaviest. Whatever battle lines they had drawn earlier was long forgotten.

Alex swooped in and fired a Bombarda at an area where enemy wizards were concentrated. He didn't bother looking at the result of his attack before retreating from some angry wizards who had taken flight to chase him by turning into black smoke the way Death Eaters were known to do. His experience as a Quidditch chaser enabled him to choose his engagements wisely, knowing when to press and retreat as the situation required.

He signalled his flight squad members and pointed at the giant in the middle of the courtyard. It seemed to be one of the giant leaders as it was wielding a large halberd and wearing some rudimentary armour.

They formed an attack line and descended on the giant. The explosions came in quick succession as they peppered the monster with Bombarda and Reducto. The giant fell like a collapsing tower, wailing in anguish.

However, even with several successful engagements on their part, their side was still on the losing end. With the Hogwarts wards shattered, the enemies were able to come and go into the castle. Alex decided to join the fighting on the ground. He left the command of the flight squad to a 7th-year student who performed pretty well despite her age.

He blasted one of the windows, then, he flew in the opening. He found himself in one of the classrooms, and from there, he proceeded to secure the corridor outside. He didn't have to wait too long before finding two wizards strutting along looking for more victims.

With their back against him, he quickly fired two Flipendo's, knocking the enemy back. Then to finish them off, he sent a Diffindo on each of their necks, killing them quickly with a big slash on their throats.

As a fighter, Alex preferred using simple spells whenever he could. They were easier and quicker to cast, and the results were much more predictable. He never really understood the Pure-bloods' unhealthy reverence towards the Unforgivables and the Dark Arts.

He had gone from one corridor to another in search of more enemies. Whenever he saw a fighter on their side, he lent a hand. If he found an enemy, he struck decisively. There was no point in holding back. Especially, when the enemy clearly could control Dementors and escape from Azkaban whenever they wanted.

In one corridor, he found the current Head of the Department of Magical Enforcement, Corban Yaxley, who was retreating from wherever he came from along with two other Death Eaters.

"Bombarda!" shouted Alex as he fired the curse along their path. 

The ground exploded sending pieces of the floor in all directions. The three wizards were thrown back due to the blast. He made sure the two Death Eaters were dead with a cutting charm to their necks, saving Yaxley for last. Then, he made sure to take the enemy's wand.

"Incarcerous," he worded. Yaxley was tied up tightly with the conjured rope. He dragged him to a nearby room, locked the door, then sound-proofed the room with a spell.

Alex had wakened the man and greeted him, "Hello Yaxley."

He was certainly familiar with Corban Yaxley. He was always on the papers being praised for his work in catching some Witches and Wizards who had been labelled as Undesirables. Alex knew they were all muggle-borns like him.

"Who are you?" asked Yaxley, quickly recognizing his situation.

"You don't know me. You and I don't run in the same circle if you know what I mean," said Alex with a grin.

"Mud-blood! How dare you do this to me!?" yelled Yaxley.

"How dare I? I'll tell you. It was quite easy. I did it simply using magic!"

"Your kind is a plague to our world! You should be glad that we let you live!"

"But you didn't, let us live, I mean. You persecuted us, imprison us, and humiliate us. And now, it's come to this. Pure-bloods, Mud-bloods, it doesn't matter. This war you started will eventually kill us all just the same. . . But that is for tomorrow, let's focus on the now. You are here lying by my heel. Mud-blood and pure-blood, only one of us will be walking away. I wonder who?"

"You wouldn't dare! The Dark Lord will hunt you, your families!"

Alex laughed aloud. "This is exactly how I want you to be!" he exclaimed. "Let's see how long you can stay proud! Crucio!"

The spell caused Yaxley to scream, his body convulsing. Alex held the spell for about ten seconds.

After recovering his breath, Yaxley was still glaring at him defiantly. Just as when he was about to say something, Alex hit him with another curse.

He knew that he should be out there fighting, but he couldn't help himself. He tortured Yaxley until the man was drooling on the floor, body spasming uncontrollably.

"It looks like our time has come to an end," said Alex as he pulled up Yaxley's head by the hair, making sure that their eyes met. "I want you to know that a Mud-blood was the one that sent you on your way," he said calmly.

"No… Please…" pleaded Yaxley.

"Diffindo," he said softly. He put more than usual power in the spell causing Yaxley's head to be completely cut off.

Alex walked out of the room leaving the body there on the classroom floor. He knew some people would find it later. He could only imagine how they would react. Would they be shocked, horrified, or vindicated? Would they see the irony as he did?

Then just as before, the Dark Lord's voice was heard again throughout the castle. This time he said that he was ordering his followers to withdraw from Hogwarts and that Harry Potter should surrender himself to him at the Forbidden Forest before the night was over. If not, he would kill anyone who dared to hide the boy from him.

This allowed the defenders of the castle some much-needed break. When he reached the Great Hall, he saw where the Weasley family was gathered. Mrs Weasley was crying loudly. One of the Weasley boys, Fred, had died. He immediately went to Bill to offer his sympathies.

The Weasley's were just one of the many people grieving in the Great Hall. Nymphadora Tonks and her husband were also among the casualties. The most unfortunate, he found, was the number of students that died that night.

"I'm so sorry, Bill," he said solemnly.

"He was such a joker, my brother," said Bill. "It feels like one of his jokes. I just didn't—"

"He didn't die in vain. None of them did," Alex said. He wanted to say something more comforting, but it was not the time for mourning.

"I'll make sure of it," Bill promised.

***

Alex was resting in a quiet spot when he realized that Harry Potter was nowhere to be seen.

Did the boy go to the Forbidden Forest, he wondered. That boy, he said to himself, even if he was Harry "god-damn" Potter, he surely couldn't do that to them.

Even if he didn't know the details, he believed that Harry Potter was the key to finally defeating Voldemort. The Order of the Phoenix made that clear enough. So, he could not let the boy get himself killed and let all they'd done be for nothing.

He decided to go to the Forbidden Forest himself. He followed the most likely route that anyone would take, and before long, he'd found Harry Potter.

He was about to give the Boy-Who-Lived a talking to when he heard him speaking. He couldn't make up the words from where he was standing, but it was obvious enough to know that the boy was talking to someone. However, there wasn't anyone else there.

Was he talking to ghosts? He wondered. No, he would have seen it otherwise.

Harry Potter was holding a small stone before dropping it on the ground. After that, Harry went on to his destination.

Alex picked up the stone and wondered what it was. It was an eight-sided grey crystal with a strange symbol within. He decided to keep it as he had a feeling that it could be important later on.

He caught himself being absorbed by the trinket. Perhaps he was too tired, he thought. He looked around and realized that Harry was gone. When he found the boy, he was standing in front of Voldemort and his followers. He also saw Hagrid, the Half-Giant, being held back in chains as he struggled in vain to get to Harry. Alex quickly hid behind something before he was seen.

"And so, the Boy-Who-Lived had come to die. . ." Alex heard the Dark Lord say.

Some of the Death Eaters laughed at that as if it was the funniest joke they had ever heard.

"SILENCE!!!" the Dark Lord commanded. He stared at Harry for a while without saying anything as the boy stood there. The anger slowly showing in his face, as if he could not believe the audacity of the boy to stand before death as he did.

"Avada Kedavra!" the Dark Lord yelled.

Before Alex could do anything, the Dark Lord sent a powerful Killing Curse towards Harry. A big explosion happened upon the curse's impact. Both the caster and the target were knocked over at the same time.

Alex was in disbelief at what he just witnessed. The Boy-Who-Lived was dead. And somehow, his death has affected the Dark Lord who had fallen over and was visibly disoriented. Alex didn't know what might have happened to the Dark Lord, but, the only thing on his mind was the dead Harry Potter.

Without thinking much further, Alex grasped his wand tightly and charged.

"Bombarda Maxima!" he yelled, putting as much power as he could with the spell. 

He followed it up with a quick 'Reducto' aimed at one of the wizards who was restraining Hagrid before the Death Eaters could recover from their surprise.

"Hagrid! Get Harry!" Alex yelled.

The Half-Giant roared like a bull and ran towards the fallen Harry. No one could stop him as he bulldozed everything that tried to stop him. Alex did his best to protect him from hostile spells.

After Hagrid had picked up Harry, Alex looked over to the enemy. He knew he had to stop them from chasing Hagrid. With Voldemort weakened, it might just be his only chance. There was one curse he could use to either stop the enemies or force them to retreat. Being inside a forest, he knew it could very well lead to his death.

"You forced me into this! I will see you all in Hell!"

He held his wand aloft and cast Fiendfyre with all the power he could muster. Continuous gout of cursed flames came from the tip of his wand, forming into a fiery bird as it descended upon the Death Eaters.

Then, a spell fired by Bellatrix Lestrange struck him from the side which blasted him away unconscious. His wand arm was missing, blown-off by the spell. The cursed flame was already fully unleashed, however.

Bellatrix had left the Dark Lord's side when the chaos started, too mad and impulsive to prioritize her weakened master. Before she could do anything else, she was engulfed by the cursed flame. In her last moment, she caught a glimpse of the fallen Voldemort and his snake as they burned before she was dead.

Anyone who did not have the presence of mind to Disapparate was consumed by the fire. Whenever the flame stalled, it split up forming into more fiery beasts. Eventually, the fire has consumed all living things on that side of the forest including its creator.

That event was later known as the Great Forest Burning. It was the single most destructive fire of the Magical world. There were more than a hundred pure-blood wizards and witches that died in the forest.

Many of the creatures that lived there also perished in the flame, most notable were the Werewolves and Acromantulas. It was very fortunate that the Centaurs and the Unicorns were on the other side of the forest and were able to escape before they got surrounded by the fire.

The most amazing news, however, was the death of Lord Voldemort and most of his closest followers. Another news being celebrated was the unlikely survival of Harry Potter who had survived the Killing Curse a second time after Hagrid carried him out of the burning forest.

The name Alexander Grey was known to every Witch and Wizard of Britain after that night. Speculations to his origins were a favourite topic among historians in the following years. Some claimed that he was a great hero, a martyr, while others labelled him as a terrible villain. However, all of them would agree that Alexander Grey had forever changed the Wizarding World.


	2. Going Prepared

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexander Grey is a muggle-born wizard in hiding. He finds himself fighting against Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts. Due to circumstances beyond his understanding, he woke up in the past, on the day he got his Hogwarts invitation. He vowed to make the most out of the second chance he was given, for himself and the others like him.
> 
> Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. All recognizable characters, places, plots, etc. are the property of J.K. Rowling.
> 
> If you like my work, please support me at www.pa treon.com/Kill_Streak.

02 - Going Prepared

The first thing he heard was the ringing of an old alarm clock. He opened his eyes and was surprised at the brightness that greeted him. As his eyes start to focus, he jumped up when he realized where he was.

Was it a trick, he pondered? Why was he in this place?

Alex had woken up in his old bedroom when he used to stay with his grandfather. Furthermore, he noticed that his body had shrunken down to that of a child.

This was impossible, he thought. He was in complete disbelief even when he saw his reflection in the mirror.

He took off his shirt to examine his body more closely. What has surprised him the most was the lack of scars that he accumulated over the years on his body.

He put his clothes back on and stepped out of the room. Slowly, he descended the stairs not knowing what to expect. Following the noises, he headed to the kitchen. There, he saw his grandfather preparing a simple breakfast.

He knew that his grandfather died shortly after he graduated from Hogwarts. But now, the old man was standing there in front of him.

Somewhere deep in his mind, he was starting to make sense of what was happening to him, but it was too far-fetched for him to admit.

He noticed the newspaper on the table and picked it up quickly. It was dated 'Saturday, 24th of July, 1982'.

The year 1982? Did he actually travel back in time?

He remembered that specific date. How could he forget? It was the day he got his Hogwarts letters and when his life changed completely. If he truly was back in the past, someone should be visiting them to deliver his invitation to Hogwarts.

"What has gotten into you, boy?” asked his grandfather standing before the stove. “Breakfast is not ready yet. Go and wash your face, then we can eat.”

"Ah… yes, Grandfather. I was just – I'll get ready right away," Alex said.

Joseph Grey, his grandfather, was a stern man. He lived a very simple life after his wife passed away. The man was determined to live a quiet life until he got custody of his grandson when the boy’s parents were lost in an accident.

Alex did not have many fond memories of his grandfather. He remembered the old man was very strict with little patience for children. But, he could now admit that his impression of the man was made from the perspective of a young child.

It was only in his adulthood that he appreciated what the man had done for him. His grandfather did right by him. He provided him with a place to come home to and food for a growing boy. Both things he learned to value later in life.

After going back to his room, he finally allowed himself to slow down and analyse his situation. He stood in front of the mirror, once more, still in wonder seeing his younger self in the reflection.

If he was really back, how exactly did it happen? The last thing he could remember was fighting against the Death Eaters while risking it all in the Forbidden Forest. Then, he conjured ‘Fiendfyre’ and that was it.

Did Hagrid successfully escaped with Harry?

He thought, for a moment, that everything had been a dream. But he remembered them so vividly. He remembered things that he wouldn't have known about had it never really happened.

And finally, there was the unmistakable magic inside him. It was wild and spontaneous, just like a child's. And yet, it was also more powerful like the magic of a trained wizard.

He decided that, even if it was some complex illusion, he had to act as if it was real and live his life accordingly until he had evidence that said otherwise.

But that was the biggest question in his mind. What exactly was this new life? Was he reliving his old life or was he living a different one?

No… he couldn't possibly act like his previous life didn’t happen. This second chance was merely the continuation of his journey. What he had experienced before was just an earlier part of his life that he lived in a different timeline.

That was what it was, he realized, it was a different timeline and not a different life. He could take whatever he learned from that timeline, and use it to create a different future for himself this time.

He had to do things differently.

***

An hour after they had their breakfast, there was a knock on the door. If it was the visit that he was expecting, then that would convince him that he was not delusional.

Alex hurried up and opened the door. There, standing by the doorway, was Prof. McGonagall, Master of Transfiguration and Head of Gryffindor House at Hogwarts. Just as he hoped.

She was wearing a long green dress and carrying a leather purse. She looked like a lady in her 40's. However, Alex knew she was much older than that.

"Hello, ma'am. Can I help you?" asked Alex.

"Good morning. I am Prof. Minerva McGonagall. May I speak to your guardian?" she said. She maintained a respectful tone while being very straightforward.

"Please come inside, Professor. Let me just call my grandfather," Alex said before running to the living room where the old man was reading the papers.

"Grandfather, a lady is here to speak to you. Said she was a professor."

The old man stood up and greeted the professor. They went to the living room to discussed what she came for.

McGonagall didn’t beat around the bush. She told them quite simply about the existence of magic and how Alex was a wizard, someone capable of magic.

His grandfather looked disbelieving for a moment, but the seriousness of Prof. McGonagall’s face was not to be questioned. There was, indeed, some strangeness that kept happening around the boy. This ‘magic’ seemed to explain it all.

After the old man was convinced, the professor explained what Hogwarts was and how Alex was required to learn using his magic according to the laws of their world. Alex was sitting by the side as he listened to a conversation that he had heard long before. McGonagall was doing an exceptional job explaining things simply to a muggle. Obviously, she had done this a thousand times before.

"Well, if it would help him how to properly use his gifts, then it would be the right thing to send him to, um, Hogwarts, was it?" said his grandfather.

"Rightly so, Mr Grey,” said the Professor. She handed his grandfather a slip of paper with the address of the ‘Leaky Cauldron’. “Let us meet in front of the tavern at 9 am this Saturday. From there we will go to Diagon Alley where we can acquire all the things required for the young lad to attend Hogwarts. Just keep in mind that we will be going with other families to do our shopping," said the professor.

After saying her simple goodbye, the professor was gone. Alex was thankful that they lived in London. He didn't know how his grandfather would react if they had to travel a long way just to help him shop for his school things. He wondered how other muggle-born families who lived in Ireland or Scotland managed in their first visit to Diagon Alley.

***

A week had gone by and they arrived at the specified location for the meeting with McGonagall. He had to point out where the tavern was exactly before his grandfather could see it as it was hidden with a muggle-repelling charm. It seemed that McGonagall was already there along with another family.

Alex recognized the boy with the group who would eventually be sorted in Gryffindor. He decided to pay more attention to the other muggle-borns in his year this time around.

They waited for three more groups to show up before finally entering the tavern. Prof. McGonagall greeted the proprietor of the Leaky Cauldron before guiding everyone to the back area of the tavern where she tapped on a series of bricks on the rear wall of the yard.

The wall folded unto itself and everyone, except the professor, gasped in amazement. Alex even played along with the other kids.

The professor first led them to Gringotts Bank, explaining that they would have to exchange their British currency for Wizarding currency to use in Diagon Alley. 

Just as he remembered, a wizard Galleon was equivalent to around 5 British Pounds. Alex realized that the rate of exchange would not change for 20 more years. He wondered who made this system. Unlike the British Pound, Wizarding currency did not have inflation. While the prices on the market could rise and fall depending on the supply and demand, a Gringotts Galleon was worth the same as it did for centuries.

The Goblins control the production and storage of Wizarding currencies and controlled how much gold was in circulation in the Wizarding World. Every muggle-born had probably wondered what the mineral value of a Galleon was in the muggle markets. However, they soon learned that melting them was a daunting task in itself as each Galleon was protected from tampering with enchantments that only the Goblins knew.

And just like anything enchanted by the Goblins, all Wizarding currencies were the property of the Goblin Nation according to them. The wizards were merely perusing their creations in accordance with their agreement with the Ministry of Magic.

Of course, that didn’t stop wizards from wanting to hoard as many Galleons as they could.

Alex learned that buying their school supplies was very tedious. Since he and his grandfather were shopping with other families, they had to listen to every explanation from the shopkeepers whom they met.

The last stop they visited was Ollivander's Wands. Just as in the other timeline, the wand that chose him, as Ollivander would describe it, was a 10 ½ inches long red oak wand with unicorn hair as its core.

As he recalled from his meagre knowledge of wand lore, red oak wands were compatible with those who were quick thinkers, a great wand wood for fast spell-work and duelling. As for unicorn hair, it was known for its loyalty and dependability which made it ideal for charms, despite not being as powerful as dragon heart-string.

Alex was glad to be reunited with his wand that would see him through the end. He knew this to be true.

The total amount of money they spent with all that shopping was 150 Galleons. His grandfather gave him the remaining 50 galleons that they had left and told him that it was for him to use when he was in school.

Spending around 1,000 Pounds in one day may seem a lot, but it wasn’t too bad considering it was for the entire school year. They only had to buy the supplies and uniforms as Hogwarts was a state-run school and tuition was free for all its students.

This was probably the reason why the Ministry could meddle in the affairs in Hogwarts. The wizarding school had an independent administration as it had preceded the Ministry and was always under the protection of some renowned wizard. That tradition was the only thing preventing the Ministry from outright dictating the affairs of the school. Of course with enough motivation, anyone could break that tradition.

***

Alex had a month to prepare for Hogwarts and he planned to make the most of it. The ‘Trace’, a detection charm for under-aged magic, was applied to every child during their first trip on the Hogwarts Express. So, this period before the term began was his only chance to use his magic freely until he reached his majority.

He asked his grandfather permission to go to Diagon Alley on his own. When he got to the Leaky Cauldron, he went to the back area straight away without speaking to anyone. He checked his surroundings before using a subtle Notice-Me-Not spell on his face so no one would recognize him.

No one paid him any attention by the time he entered Diagon Alley. To the people in the alley, he was just one of the shoppers going about their business. Those who happened to look at him directly would not remember what he looked like.

Unlike a Polyjuice transformation, his means of disguise was only a small illusion. He had to be very careful about drawing attention needlessly. Otherwise, the sighting of a lone child in the alley might spur someone to meddle in his affairs.

He turned into a small passage called Knocturn Alley and found the shop that he wanted to visit. Borgin & Burkes was the one-stop-shop for any shady wizards or witches. The shopkeepers there knew not to ask too many questions from their customers.

He went there to buy a book about the Mind Arts. He figured that the most important thing he could not risk being revealed was his knowledge of the most likely future.

Alex already had a rudimentary grasp of Occlumency which he learned after he graduated from Hogwarts. It surprised him that such a fundamental magical art was not taught at the wizarding school. His mental defences were basic at best, but it should allow him to detect any intrusions in his mind unless, of course, it was being done by a very skilled Legilimens.

He found a book that could help him on a dusty shelf in the back of the shop, 'Mind Arts: A Guide to its Practices and Ethics' by Eldred Worple. Alex paid 20 Galleons for the book. It was pretty expensive for one book, but he didn’t complain.

Books on the Mind Arts were illegal. That was just one way how the privileged few kept the masses ignorant. After all, it was not illegal to teach it to someone, something Alex learned was done in Pure-blood families when the children were old enough.

Occlumency and Legilimency required a person to be in control of his or her emotions. That was something he would never be able to do the first time he went to Hogwarts. But with the mind of an adult and the experiences of someone who lived in the world of secrecy and lies, he was confident that he can be great with this particular branch of magic.

He went back to Diagon Alley where he found the store selling travelling equipment. Using his remaining Galleons, he purchased some pouches that were enchanted with Space-Expansion Charms. Those were always handy to have around.

***

During the following week, he spent a lot of time researching the criminal organizations in London. From news to gossips, he gathered whatever information he could. Sifting through it all was a good exercise in Occlumency.

Two weeks later, he sneaked out of the house after he was sure his grandfather had fallen asleep. He used 'Apparition' to go to Camden where he suspected a drug trafficking organization was active.

He arrived in the middle of a park, then he cast a Muggle-Repelling Charm on his clothes. He sneaked about in the shadows looking for any signs of a criminal organization.

He did this for three nights before he found a suspicious group of men stepping out of a car park. He happened to overhear some of their conversation that told him that his efforts had paid off. He followed the men to a building that served as their base.

He waited in the dark until 4 am watching if the activities of the people inside by casting ‘Homenum Revelio’ every ten minutes. This way, he could track the general location of everyone in the building.

While still under the effects of the Repelling Charm, he approached the entry door after seeing that the people inside had stopped moving around.

"Alohomora," he whispered pointing his wand at the doorknob. After a soft click, he knew that the ‘Unlocking Charm’ had done its job.

He turned the knob with his gloved hand as he moved to enter through the door. Two armed men in the immediate room noticed the door swinging open.

Before they could see clearly what had opened the door, Alex fired "Stupefy!"  
Both thugs had fallen over, unconscious.

Alex walked over while being wary of anyone who heard the noise. Then. He cut their throats with a simple ‘Severing Charms’. Just because they were muggles did not mean that he would be careless.

He did the same to five other people on the ground floor before heading to the upper level. It was all too simple, he thought. With the Muggle-Repelling Charm still active, no one there could notice him before it was too late.

When he reached the room of the leader, he found the man faced down on a desk asleep. The only light source in the room was the television, but the programming has ended. It wasn’t showing anything but static.

Alex fired a Stinging Hex at the man to awaken him.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Alex said quickly.

The man stiffened while sitting on the chair with his eyes wide open.

Then, Alex approached, made sure that their eyes were meeting, and pointed the wand at the man’s head.

"Legilimens!" he said, exerting more magic to it than any spells he cast that night.

It was the first time that he was using that spell on a person and he wasn’t good in the art yet.

"Where are you keeping the money?" he asked.

The man could not reply as he couldn’t move at all. However, using verbal prompts like that was enough to bring up the answer to the surface of the man's thoughts. This was the extent of Alex's skills with Legilimency at the moment.

After getting the information that he wanted, he killed the man with the same method as he did the others.

He found the safe and opened it with a spell. There he found about 150,000 pounds in cash in assorted denominations. He quickly put them all in an enchanted pouch.

Before leaving, Alex took a used cigar from the table and dipped it in the blood of the dead man. He used it to write 'We are everywhere' on the wall, followed by a circle. Then, he made the cigar disappear with a simple ‘Banishing Charm’. That should be enough for the police to suspect a vigilante group or a rival gang had raided this place.

Alex repeated the same operation twice in other locations the following week. He only stopped when the news was beginning to sensationalize his raids, calling it the works of a new criminal syndicate called 'The Circle'.

After his raids, he had 150,000 Pounds in cash and 50,000 Galleons after converting 250,000 Pounds in Gringotts. He stored most of the Galleons in his new vault while the other cash was separated into several enchanted pouches.

He went around Diagon Alley and bought whatever he thought was useful to him. He purchased a travelling trunk complete with space-expansion, feather-weight, shrinking, and security charms. He bought several sets of wizard outfit, so he wouldn't stick out too much every time he decided to go out in the Wizarding World. And, he also purchased all the books required for the 7-year curriculum of Hogwarts and some more advance reference books. He had already learned them, but he needed a refresher.

Only after all this, he felt prepared that he could make the most of his time in Hogwarts.


	3. First Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexander Grey is a muggle-born wizard in hiding. He finds himself fighting against Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts. Due to circumstances beyond his understanding, he woke up in the past, on the day he got his Hogwarts invitation. He vowed to make the most out of the second chance he was given, for himself and the others like him.
> 
> Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. All recognizable characters, places, plots, etc. are the property of J.K. Rowling.
> 
> If you like my work, please support me at www.pa treon.com/Kill_Streak.

03 - First Year

It was the 1st of September, so it was the day to go to Hogwarts. His grandfather drove him to King's Cross Station that morning.

Alex was dressed very neatly, with his shiny black shoes, freshly pressed slacks, and his Hogwarts vest and tie. His short dark hair and deep blue eyes complete the look of an elegant little gentleman.

"Make sure to study as best as you can, understood?" the old man said sternly.

"I will grandfather."

"Always be mindful of your actions."

"I will," Alex said simply.

The old man knelt down to his level and placed a hand on his shoulder. Alex had forgotten this conversation, perhaps there was more to it than he remembered. 

"Listen well, Alex,” said his grandfather sternly. “In this life, the only things we really must answer for are our actions. Magic or not, that will always be true.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

"Every day we live on this Earth, we make hundreds of choices,” his grandfather continued. “Some more important than others. There are the things we decide to do and the things we decide not to do. We live by the consequences of it all. The worth of a man, in the end, is in his actions.

“Hell, I know you’re confused as to why I am saying this all. But you are going off on your own to somewhere I can’t see you, and I have a feeling that you will have to figure out how to be a man by yourself.”

"I'll remember, grandfather," said Alex, looking up at the old man as he stood up.

If only he did remember his grandfather’s words the first time around. Maybe he wouldn’t become so lost.

Perhaps his grandfather understood more than Alex originally thought. He truly was going off to a different society, the Wizarding World. He had to look after himself more than ever. Of course, with his knowledge and experiences that did not sound strange to him. But now, he realized how strange the system was set up for muggle-born children.

They were welcomed into the magical world, but they had to learn quickly how to take care of themselves. No matter how close they were with their muggle families, there would always be a divide.

After all, most things that would challenge them and would become the most important to them would be magical in some way. So, how could anyone share them with their non-magical families?

Even if their families knew about its existence, magic would always be strange for those who did not have it.

"Well, you get along now. You don't want to be late… and Alex, take care of yourself."

Alex nodded before turning away.

***

Alex boarded the Hogwarts Express and he found an empty compartment, the same one that he used his first time on the train. Before long, another boy opened the door.

"Um… can I join you?" asked the boy. He had shoulder-length brown hair and his eyes were a light shade of brown. Just like Alex, he was dressed very neatly for his first day in Hogwarts.

"Of course, come on in," said Alex with a smile. "I'm Alexander Grey, by the way."

"I'm Eugene Clay Rosewood. People call me Clay."

No one actually called him Clay. His own family called him Eugene, but Clay had always felt that to be too 'girly' as he inherited that name from some great-aunt or other called Eugena. Alex knew this and he smiled as he shook the hand of the boy who would become his best-friend in Hogwarts.

"You can call me Alex," he said. "Are you a first year, as well?"

"Yes, I’m a first-year. Quite exciting, isn't it? Hogwarts, I mean," said Clay. "My mom really likes to talk about Hogwarts. She said it was the most amazing place on Earth!"

They continued to talk about what Hogwarts might turn out to be for a while. Alex was glad to talk to him as he hadn't seen Clay for a long while.

Shortly after graduation, something had happened to the Rosewood family. Clay had disappeared after that and they had lost contact. Hopefully, that would not happen this time.

After talking for a while, Clay suddenly asked him "Alex, are you muggle-born?"

Sometimes children might sound very frank without meaning to. However, Alex didn't mind. He knew Clay and he knew about blood status this time. There was nothing to be ashamed of being muggle-born. It was just a construct devised by some people to distinguish themselves from others.

" Yes, I am," he said simply. "That doesn't bother you, does it?"

"No! Not at all, it's just that I've never really talked to a muggle-born before. I only really stay on my families' property. What was it like, you know, living in the muggle world?" asked Clay.

"I’m afraid I can't tell you. It's a secret. Just like the magical world is hidden from the muggles. The muggle world is also hidden from the magical world."

"What!? I've never heard of that," Clay exclaimed.

"Well, it wouldn't be much of a secret if you heard about it. Only muggle-borns are allowed to know about the two worlds. In fact, I might get in trouble with the authorities if they find out that I told you this much.”

He knew that Clay was a sheltered boy before Hogwarts. With the recent war going on, a lot of children in the Wizarding World were kept from leaving their homes their entire lives. To many parents, Hogwarts was the only place that was protected from the war.

"I won't tell, I promise!" said Clay.

Looking at his eager expression, Alex felt a little bad about his joke.

"Relax, I am just joking! You don't have to be so scared about it." He couldn't help but laugh about it. Clay also started laughing when he realized how silly it was.

However, what made it funny to Alex was how much truth his joke actually had. Only muggle-borns were knowledgeable about the two worlds.

It was a great big illusion that separated the world into two. An illusion that was keeping the magical world a secret from muggles for the safety of the wizards, while keeping the muggle world unknown to themselves for their assurances. Many laws in the Wizarding World prevented muggle objects and knowledge from entering their society.

Although he agreed, in principle, that the magical world couldn't be exposed to the non-magical world, the wizards' attitude about the muggle world did not make sense to him. Just because they wanted to keep themselves hidden, didn't mean they had to keep themselves ignorant. It was like a person, who was afraid of drowning, choosing not to learn how to swim on purpose.

Hours later and they finally arrived in Hogsmeade. From there on, the first-year students were guided by Hagrid to Hogwarts via the boats.

He had complicated feelings when he saw Hagrid. He couldn't help but remember his last encounter with the half-giant.

Did Hagrid survived, he wondered? Did he manage to bring back Harry to the castle?

After coming to the conclusion that he was transferred to a new timeline, he also deduced the other timeline was not erased. It would simply go on without him there.

When they reached the castle, Prof. McGonagall was waiting for them outside the Great Hall. She quickly explained about the sorting and the point system for the House Cup. Afterwards, she led them to the Great Hall for the sorting. Then, Prof. McGonagall started calling out the names of the students to be sorted in alphabetical order. Soon enough it was his turn.

After hearing his name, he walked forward to sit on the stool placed in front. When he put on the Sorting Hat, it spoke to him.

"Hmm. What's this, now? Someone from another time? That can be quite complicated… the possibilities, the dangers! — well, it is not my business. I’m just a hat, what do I care? We are here for your sorting and that is what we will do… let’s see here… very determined, you are, to change things up. It won’t be easy, you know? I think we both know what to do with you, better be HUFFLEPUFF!" said the Sorting Hat with only the last word being heard by the room.

For a while, Alex was worried when he heard the hat going on about the fact that he had jumped the timeline.

Alex walked to the Hufflepuff table as they welcome him with applause. Clay was sorted into the same house when his turn came. The two sat next to each other during the feast.

Hufflepuff was the house that was always overlooked. It got a bad reputation as the house where most muggle-borns were sorted and the house of the 'left-overs', those who were not good enough to get in the other houses. But how can they be not good enough? They haven't done anything in school.

For these reasons, few students were actually proud of being a Hufflepuff. 

But in his opinion, knowing what he knew now, Hufflepuff was the best of the houses. The students just wanted to study and improve at their own pace. They celebrate the fruits of their efforts rather than their placements in the rankings. Most of all, there was nothing wrong with being loyal, hard-working, or fair. In fact, they were the traits that people should aspire to.

***

The first week of classes went by without a hitch. Alex made sure to review all the books for his classes. Even if he already knew the materials on a practical level, it was very beneficial to go over the details of each topic.

He was able to answer all the questions when asked in class, although he didn't bother on proving himself to be the top student in his year. He felt that it was not fair for him to snatch the first place in the student rankings.

He settled for being known as a talented student, but nothing too outstanding. He had to be careful not to show any knowledge beyond what was expected of a student his age. One of the teachers of Hogwarts might be a Legilimens. Being under the scrutiny of one would be a terrible outcome.

There was also Prof. Severus Snape, the young potions master. He started teaching in Hogwarts in the previous term and he immediately assumed the role of Head of the Slytherin House since there was no other faculty at the moment who was a previous member of the house.

From the other timeline, Alex remembered him as a foul-tempered instructor of the potions class who had little patience for children. Then, he became the Headmaster of Hogwarts in 1997. He was obviously working for Voldemort as Hogwarts and the Ministry had fallen under the control of the Dark Lord at the time. However, some things about him did not add up based on what he had seen.

The teacher that he really wanted to impress was Prof. Filius Flitwick, Charms Master and Head of Ravenclaw House, Half-Goblin if he believed the rumours. Charms had always been his best subject, so this time, he wanted to do even better. He decided that he would be the best in charms in his year, earning points for his house while doing so.

And so, the days went by like the turn of a page. Alex spent most of his time in the library studying spells that had anything to with illusions. He was looking for some way to create a more convincing disguise for himself without depending too much on Polyjuice Potions. To everyone else, however, he appeared to be reading about charms and Quidditch to avoid suspicion.

When he could, he meditated and practised the Mind Arts in the dorms. Occlumency was not simply limited to defending your mind from intrusions. It was also a very useful tool in organizing your knowledge, memory retention and controlling your emotions.

***

In November, during an afternoon when they had a free period, Alex was approached by a student while he was in the library.

"Hey, aren't you friends with Rosewood?" said the student.

"Yeah, why?" he asked barely looking away from his books.  
"You better go to the East Corridor, they are ganging up on Rosewood.”

"What? Who?" he demanded.

“I don’t know, it was some second-year Slytherins.”

Alex cleared up his desk and bolted out of the library. When he arrived in the East Corridor, he saw Clay was indeed surrounded by four second-year Slytherin students.

"Leave me alone, Travers," he heard Clay said.

"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you? You're just like your family. Where were you when the Dark Lord called, huh?" said Travers.

"The Rosewoods are neutral in the war! You know this!"

"And what good did it do? Where is your father now? Still missing like the coward that he is?"

"You don't talk about my father that way!" yelled Clay. He had already drawn his wand.

"Look at him," Travers said talking to his goons. "I think he finally remembered that he is a wizard!"

The others laugh at his joke. Alex saw that Clay was about to cast something, so he decided to intervene.

"Stop!" he said loudly while walking over. "Don't do anything you might regret later, Clay."

"Oh, this is rich,” said Travers. “Yes. Listen to your mud-blood friend. Truly, how low can you get, Rosewood?"

"You shut your trap, 'Angus'," Alex said, emphasizing Travers' given name.

Angus didn't know why, but he was irked to hear his name spoken like that.

"Don’t talk to me, mud-blood! Your kind doesn't belong in our world!"

"Whatever you say, 'Angus'.”

"You dare mock me, mud-blood?" Travers said with a growl. He drew his wand and pointed it at Alex.

"And what are you going to do?” Alex sneered. “Are you going to going to curse a poor defenceless 'mud-blood'? You finally decided to stop pretending to be civilized and let others know your true colours? I wonder how that would seem to them. Pure-blood boy struck down an unarmed muggle-born out of hatred and prejudice.

Travers’ eyes widened at the realization. The mud-blood was right no matter how much he hated it. With the recent defeat of the Dark Lord, the trends were indeed against him. He looked at the other students that were beginning to crowd the scene they were making and he could already hear them whispering.

"No, forget it. We'll leave you guys alone… for now."

“Smart, as always,” said Alex. "Oh, and Travers, I better not hear anything about you harassing any Hufflepuffs. You know what they say, they are incredibly loyal. One mistake and I don't know how many wands will turn towards you.”

“Yeah, right…” Travers snorted before leaving.

The Hufflepuffs had never been known to fight back. So, Alex could see why his threats didn’t carry much weight. Of course, some things in the school would have to change if he had anything to say about it.

"I can't believe you did that," said Clay who couldn't interject a while ago. "You know this won't be the end of it."

"I know, but from this year on, Hufflepuffs will be different! We must learn to protect one another. These bullies must learn not to poke at a Badger's nest. If they mess with one of us, they mess with ALL of us! You understand?"

Clay was nodding enthusiastically. He was inspired suddenly. He could already see it, a united Hufflepuff gang, a horde of badgers. Some other students in the crowd were also nodding along.

Alex wouldn’t know for a long while what he had started that day.


	4. First Year (2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexander Grey is a muggle-born wizard in hiding. He finds himself fighting against Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts. Due to circumstances beyond his understanding, he woke up in the past, on the day he got his Hogwarts invitation. He vowed to make the most out of the second chance he was given, for himself and the others like him.
> 
> Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. All recognizable characters, places, plots, etc. are the property of J.K. Rowling.
> 
> If you like my work, please support me at www.pa treon.com/Kill_Streak.

04 - First Year (2)

As the days passed, Alex cemented his reputation of being a talented student at Hogwarts. He was the best in Charms Class from his year and he performed well enough in his other subjects.

The most challenging for him was pretending that he was studying for his classes. But, it did give him the time to work on his side projects as much as he wanted.

Surprisingly, there were several options for a wizard to disguise himself. There was even a charm that could prevent post owls from finding him. The method that Alex decided on was a combination of charms and some advanced transfigurations.

It was simple enough to change his hair colour and length through charms. Changing his body size and shape, however, was done with some very obscure spells in Transfigurations. His earlier attempts had been painful, but it was worth it. Now, his disguise should be enough to fool anyone unless he was specifically subjected to a ‘Revelio’ charm or a ward with similar effects.

Another interesting development was the change of attitude among the first-year students of the Hufflepuff House. Clay had taken Alex’s words very seriously. Now, he had become the unofficial leader of the first-year badgers. His group became very protective of their fellow house-mates. If a Hufflepuff got hurt by anyone, they would find ways to get even with the offender, usually through some creative pranks.

Furthermore, their house that year in general was performing better academically. Alex, himself, had contributed about 50 points in the House Cup which was awarded mostly by Prof. Flitwick. But, the Slytherins still grabbed first place in the end.

During their ride home in the Hogwarts Express, Alex and Clay promised to write to one another during the break. This would mean getting a Post Owl of his own, something he was planning on doing anyway.

***

Alex was glad to see his grandfather after coming back to London. When they reached home, it seemed that his grandfather had taken a new hobby. A working table was set up in the garage. The woodworking tools were neatly organized along the wall and the smell of wood dust and lacquer was unmistakable.

For a week, he stayed at home trying to settle in once again in the non-magical world. He was not allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts, but he knew there was a way to get around that.

The ‘Trace’ that was applied to every student on Hogwarts was meant to detect under-aged use of magic. Alex knew that there were ways to get around that.

In actuality, the ‘Trace’ would detect any wand based magic performed around the under-aged student. However, some places in the Wizarding World were made as exceptions, like public places or any registered wizard’s homes. This was because any magic detected could be attributed to other wizards nearby. Secondly, there was no threat to the 'Statute of Secrecy' since they were in places that were hidden from the muggles.

Effectively, the rules about the under-aged use of magic were only enforced on muggle-born students. That was why Alex had to be cautious about using magic during the summer. However, he couldn’t waste his time during the break. He had plans that summer and he would have to use his magic to accomplish them.

The first thing that he did was buy a typewriter and a duplicator machine. These tools were simple enough to learn. In fact, even his grandfather could make use of them if he wanted to make turn his new hobby into a small business. Alex wanted to handle all the printing he would be doing to make sure he wasn’t risking the exposure of the magical world.

The booklet he spent two weeks to finish was titled ‘Welcome to Magic: A Guide to the Wizarding World for Muggle-borns and their Families’. He used the pen-name ‘Prometheus’, after the titan god of fire in Greek mythology. He was confident that no one would suspect a 12-year-old boy writing a comprehensive guide to the Wizarding World.

The 100-pages book included explanations about the history and importance of the Statute of Secrecy, laws regarding the use of magic, the definitions of the terms ‘pure-blood’, ‘half-blood’ and ‘muggle-born’, recent cultural and political changes in their society and other pertinent information. These were the result of his research during the school year.

The tone of the writing was straightforward while casual. Alex wanted to inform his readers without scaring them. However, he was very clear that the Wizarding World should be treated as a separate country from the U.K. and Ireland.

He included a note on the cover that the entire book was written by a muggle-born to help other muggle-borns like him. Then on the last page, he included a symbol of two hands holding a ball of fire as a symbol of Prometheus.

Alex compared this alter-ego of his to the titan god who gave fire to mankind to help them create civilization. He was hoping that the information he was sharing would better prepare all muggle-borns for their new life in the magical world.

Alex created about 200 copies of the booklet using the duplicator. There were about 10-15 new muggle-born students every year. So 200 copies were enough to even include older students in the distribution.

Alex didn’t use any magic at all with making the booklets. Conjured copies would not be permanent and he couldn't use any enchanted printing machine from his home. He did find it ironic that the comprehensive guide to the Wizarding World that he created was made without using any magic.

***

Alex placed all the books in his enchanted trunk before taking a taxi heading to the Leaky Cauldron. When he got there, he went straight to the back area. He looked around to make sure that no one could see him, then he applied his disguise before entering Diagon Alley.

He looked like a man in his late twenties with black hair that was combed up neatly. He looked like a well off man with the appropriate attire to match. His face was very distinguished, high-bridged nose, chiselled jawline, thick eye-brows, clear blue eyes. It wasn’t hard for Alex to visualize this face as it was what he would look like as an adult. Of course, his clean and presentable attire was a dramatic improvement from what he could remember from the other timeline.

He went around the alley just like any other person doing their shopping. In the ‘Flourish and Blotts Bookseller’, he bought some books about enchanting. The art was lightly touched upon in the Hogwarts curriculum as most wizards and witches preferred to use their wands for just about anything. That didn’t diminish the value of the art in the Wizarding World, however.

Then, he went to ‘Quality Quidditch Supplies’ to get a flying broomstick. Starting in their second year in Hogwarts, students were allowed to bring their broomstick. This was also the year when most students would start trying out for the Quidditch team of their house.

The newly released ‘Comet 260’ was sold for 120 Galleons. It was certainly not the model that anyone could just buy. However, this was the model that Alex had used in his past life. With an experienced flyer, it could even keep up with the ‘Nimbus 2000’, a model that wouldn’t be released for about a decade. So, Alex bought the broomstick and put it inside his trunk.

With his shopping done, he went back into the Leaky Cauldron. After entering the tavern, he saw the barman cleaning the counter. It looked like a slow business day in the inn. This was how the inn was usually before Hogwarts letters were sent out late in July.

***

Tom, the hunched-back owner/barman of the inn, didn’t recognize the man who approached him. There were only a few people in Wizarding Britain that he hadn’t met at least one time. And, he was a man who prided himself in being good at remembering faces.

“Good morning, Mr Tom.” greeted the man. “I wonder if we could talk in private for a bit.”

“Of course, mister…” Tom trailed off, expecting the man to introduce himself.

“Great! Perhaps, we can seat at one of the booths? Lead the way, Mr Tom.”

Tom smiled wryly. The man had neglected to introduce himself on purpose. While the words were polite, the man wasn’t really asking Tom. But it was enough to make him curious, so he went ahead and sat at the booth by the corner.

After they were seated across one another, the man motioned to take out his wand from its holster.

“May I?” he asked. It was considered proper etiquette to ask permission before drawing wands as guests.

“If it pleases you,” said Tom. There was a hint of wariness in his voice.

“I just want to make sure that our conversation remains private. ‘Muffliato’…”

Tom was unfamiliar with that spell, but he didn't mind if it assured his guest.

“Now, we can finally talk with ease” the man continued. “One cannot be too careful nowadays.”

“Please, feel free to speak frankly, mister.” Tom was still waiting for the man to introduce himself.

“First of all, I am a muggle-born. That will not be a problem with you, am I right?”

“No, sir! Not a problem at all. Half of my customers are muggle-borns…” Tom responded defensively.

Because the war with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his Death Eaters just ended almost two years ago, the topic of blood status was still not openly talked about.

“Relax, Tom. I am not here to cause trouble. I just want to know your honest opinion.” said the man, looking at Tom in the eyes.

Tom felt reassured somehow, so he decided to be straightforward.

“Look here, mister. If you have to know, I don’t mind having muggle-borns around. They bring me half of my business anyway. In case you are forgetting, the Leaky Cauldron had proudly served as the gateway between Wizarding World and the muggle world. That has been the case ever since the ‘Statute of Secrecy’ was enacted, and it will remain as such for many years to come.”

“Hmm... I believe you,” said the man after pondering what Tom said. “You see, I am a muggle-born, I don’t mind saying that much. But, there was a time when in my life that I couldn’t admit it openly. You understand.”

“What do you want then?” asked Tom.

“To put it simply, I want to help other muggle-borns to do well in the Wizarding World. And I need your help in doing it.”

“What do you need from me, exactly?”

“I’ve written a small book. In it are useful pieces of information any muggle-borns would find useful. I need you to distribute the copies to any muggle-born that comes around this inn. As you said, the Leaky Cauldron is the gateway to the Wizarding World.”

“A book for muggle-borns? How much will you be selling them for?”

“You will be handing them out for free. However, discretion is paramount. We both know that there are still some people out there who would be very bothered when they learned that we are helping out the muggle-borns.”

Tom thought about it for a few seconds. Sure, he didn’t hate muggle-borns, but could he risk his neck out for them?

“I get what you are saying, mister,” said Tom. “I’d like to be helpful and I like what you are trying to do, but this could bring some unwanted attention to me and my inn. I guess what I am asking is, why would I risk what I have to help your agenda?”

Tom wondered what the wealthy-looking-man was willing to give. The man just smiled at him. Tom was sure that he had seen that smile before and he felt scared for a moment.

“I will tell you why you will help me,” said the man. “You will be doing what I asked for out of the goodness of your heart. After all, you sympathize with the plight of the muggle-borns in our society. At least, that is what you will say when other people ask you.”

Tom frowned at that. He finally realized that he was speaking to a man that wouldn't be denied. But his expression quickly changed when he heard the sound of coins as the man placed a small bag on the table.

“This,” the man said, “is 300 Galleons, which you will receive for my assurances that you’ll do what we agreed on… I need you to make an oath that one, you would do your best to discretely offer a copy of the book to any muggle-born that you see coming through your inn. Two, you would keep and care for the books until you have given them all away. And three, you would never speak or allude to my description. Do this and you will be 300 Galleons richer.”

Tom didn’t want to take the oath, but he could understand the man’s caution. He thought about it and realized that the oath would also protect him somehow, preventing him from making any mistake on his part. Besides, 300 Galleons was more than what he could earn in two months with the inn.

“Deal.”


End file.
